WEBVTT
IS LIVE AS I THE
SHERIFF'S OFFICE WITH THE TOP
STORY.
FELIX: THIS AFTERNOON AT A NEWS
CONFERENCE, THE SHERIFF SAID
THAT 15-YEAR-OLD IS RELATED TO
HIS STABBING VICTIMS.
THE SHERIFF SAID HIS DEPUTIES
MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET
BETWEEN TO SURRENDER -- TO GET
THE TEEN TO SURRENDER BEFORE HE
WAS FATALLY SHOT.
>> WE KNOW HE WAS UNSTABLE, WE
DON'T KNOW WHY.
FELIX: THE SHERIFF DESCRIBES THE
EVENTS THAT LED TO ONE OF HIS
DEPUTYS SHOOTING A 15-YEAR-OLD,
WHO THE SHERIFF HAS -- SHERIFF
SAID HAD JUST STABBED TWO MEN.
>> IS ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE WE
ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE
MOTIVE.
WE HOPE WE WILL HAVE THAT IN THE
NEXT DAY OR TWO.
FELIX: THE SHERIFF SAYS WHEN
EMERGENCY CREWS ARRIVED, THE
TEEN JUMPED ON A FIRE TRUCK AND
LEFT ON THE STREET, ARMED WITH
THIS 4 INCH BLADE.
DEPUTIES TRIED SEVERAL TACTICS
TO SUBDUE THE TEENAGER,
INCLUDING TASERS, FOAM ROUNDS,
AND A CANINE.
IT WAS WHEN THE TEENAGER
STRUGGLE WITH THE DOG THAT THE
DEPUTY FIRED THE FATAL SHOT.
IT IS UNKNOWN WHAT TRIGGERED THE
OFFICER TO USE DEADLY FORCE.
>> THIS DEPUTY WILL NOT BE
INTERVIEW YET AND WILL BE
INTERVIEWED IN THE NEXT 24
HOURS.
I HAVE NOT SPOKEN WITH HIM.
I DON'T KNOW THAT ANSWER.
WE WILL GATHER THAT IN THE NEXT
DAY.
>> ABSOLUTELY TRAGIC.
FELIX: THE TEENAGER'S FRIENDS
GATHERED AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE
ASKING FOR ANSWERS.
THEY IDENTIFIED HIM AS LUKE
SMITH, AN APTOS HIGH SOPHOMORE.
FRIENDS AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT
MADE LUKE SNAP.
>> IT IS HARD TO KNOW WHAT MADE
HIM HAPPEN.
HE WAS ACTIVE.
HE WAS A SKATE AFICIONADO.
HE WAS BRILLIANT.
JUST TRAGIC.
FELIX: AT HIS NEWS CONFERENCE
THIS AFTERNOON, THE SHERIFF
FOULING TRANSPARENCY SAID --
VOWI TRANSPARENCY SAID HE WILL
RELEASE THE NAME OF THE DEPUTY
INVOLVED AND ALSO BODY CAMERA
VIDEO THAT MAY HAVE CAPTURED THE
SHOOTING.
THAT COULD HAPPEN IN THE NEXT
COUPLE DAYS.
THE STABBING VICTIMS ARE LISTED
IN SERIOUS AND CRITICAL
CONDITION, BUT ARE EXPECTED TO
SURVIVE.
LAUREN: SHERIFF ASKED THE
DISTRICT ATTORNEY OFFICE TO HALT
THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE
OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING.

Students gathered outside the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office Saturday afternoon and identified the stabbing suspect who was killed as Aptos High School Sophomore, Luke Smith.

They say he is 15 years old and related to one or possibly both of the victims.

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A Santa Cruz deputy shot and killed a knife-wielding person suspected of stabbing two people outside of Watsonville.

Deputies were called to the scene of a stabbing in the 800 block of Amesti Road outside of Watsonville shortly before 3 a.m. Saturday. Two people had been stabbed and were taken to the hospital. One victim has critical injuries and the second has serious injuries.

Deputies searched the area for the attacker, but he had already fled.

Within 10 minutes, deputies and officers from various police agencies found the suspect not far away, still armed with a knife.

Authorities say efforts were made to engage with the suspect to "diffuse the situation and various less-lethal weapons were tried."

The suspect then approached the officers with his knife and was then shot at least once. Paramedics, who were standing by, treated the suspect, but he died at the scene.

A press conference was held at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Santa Cruz Sheriff's Office.